Social media engagement engine

ABSTRACT

Described herein is a social media engagement engine. In accordance with another aspect of the framework, a social media message from a person (e.g., customer, prospect) is received via a social media data connector plugged into a social media interface. The social media message may be analyzed to generate processed data. At least one predefined rule is identified based on the processed data. The framework then facilitates engagement with the person according to the predefined rule.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to computer systems, and morespecifically, to a social media engagement engine.

BACKGROUND

Social media is becoming more and more important for acquiring newcustomers (e.g., growing the number of fans and converting fans tocustomers) and keeping existing customers (e.g., via loyalty rewardprograms). Customers, including those on social media platforms, want tobe served or engaged in a personalized way. Currently, engagements withprospects or customers over social media are very costly or impersonal.

SUMMARY

A framework for social media engagement is described herein. Inaccordance with one aspect of the framework, a social media message froma person (e.g., customer, prospect) is received via a social media dataconnector. The social media message may be analyzed to generateprocessed data. A rule engine may then determine, based on the processeddata, whether the engagement is to be manually or automaticallyconducted with the person. In response to determining the engagement isto be manually conducted, a response from an agent may be invoked via anengagement workbench. In response to determining the engagement is to beautomatically conducted, the response may be automatically generatedbased on information extracted from an application system. The invokedor generated response may then be transmitted to the social media dataconnector.

In accordance with another aspect of the framework, a social mediamessage from a person (e.g., customer, prospect) is received via asocial media data connector plugged into a social media interface. Thesocial media message may be analyzed to generate processed data. Atleast one predefined rule is identified based on the processed data. Theframework then facilitates engagement with the person according to thepredefined rule.

With these and other advantages and features that will becomehereinafter apparent, further information may be obtained by referenceto the following detailed description and appended claims, and to thefigures attached hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying figures, in whichlike reference numerals designate like parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary architecture;

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary architecture of the social media engagementengine;

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary method of social media engagement; and

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary screenshot of a user interface of theengagement workbench.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specificnumbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the present frameworks and methods and inorder to meet statutory written description, enablement, and best-moderequirements. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the artthat the present frameworks and methods may be practiced without thespecific exemplary details. In other instances, well-known features areomitted or simplified to clarify the description of the exemplaryimplementations of the present framework and methods, and to therebybetter explain the present framework and methods. Furthermore, for easeof understanding, certain method steps are delineated as separate steps;however, these separately delineated steps should not be construed asnecessarily order dependent in their performance.

A framework for social media engagement is described herein. One aspectof the present framework provides an open platform to conductpersonalized engagements (i.e., interactions) with persons (e.g.,customers, prospects, clients) over social media in a cost-effectiveway. Engagements may be conducted manually, semi-automatically orautomatically over social media or other communication channels.Information may be automatically extracted from internal applicationsystems to facilitate such interactions.

In accordance with one aspect of the framework, a social media messageis received from a social media data connector. The social media messagemay then be analyzed by a data processor. The data processor analyzesthe social media message to extract relevant data (e.g., product orservice name mentioned in the message, whether it is a request,complaint or general question, etc.), enrich the extracted data ifnecessary (e.g., sentiment of the customer, importance level of thecustomers/prospects, etc.), as well as filter out dirty data. Theprocessed data may then be forwarded to the rule engine. The rule enginedetermines the approach to conduct the engagement based on the processeddata. For example, the rule engine may determine whether the engagementis to be manually conducted by an agent or automatically conducted usinga connected application system. A response from the agent (in case ofmanual engagement) or a response from the connected application system(in case of automatic engagement) may then be transmitted to the socialmedia data connector.

The framework may serve as an interaction hub where an automatic processmay request for engagement support (e.g., product registration) frominternal application systems according to a predefined rule. Theframework may also serve as a unified engagement platform that providesa workbench for an agent to engage with customers or prospects oversocial media (e.g., chatting). The present framework may enableharmonized integration with other engagement channels, such as callcenters, commerce platforms, stores, and so forth. In addition, thepresent framework may support collaboration and cooperation within teammembers.

The present framework includes one or more interfaces that support anopen and flexible digital ecosystem. The one or more interfaces allowdevelopers (e.g., third-party partners) generate data connectors thatcan easily be plugged in to provide access to, for example, new socialmedia channels and application systems. Advantageously, the frameworkmakes it easy to add new social media channels and new applicationsystems, so that engagement may adapt quickly to the changing businessprocess and environment without additional investment in changing theengagement engine itself. Additionally, the present framework may beimplemented based on a cloud computing model (e.g., software as aservice or SaaS) to provide shared processing resources and data tocomputers and other devices on demand.

It should be appreciated that the framework described herein may beimplemented as a method, a computer-controlled apparatus, a computerprocess, a computing system, or as an article of manufacture such as acomputer-usable medium. These and various other features and advantageswill be apparent from the following description.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary architecture 100 inaccordance with one aspect of the present framework. Generally,exemplary architecture 100 may include server 106, one or moreapplication systems 140, one or more social media systems 142, one ormore agent devices 156 and one or more customer devices 166interconnected via network 130.

Server 106 can be any type of computing device capable of responding toand executing instructions in a defined manner. Server 106 may include aprocessor 110, input/output (I/O) devices 114 (e.g., touch screen,keypad, touch pad, display screen, speaker, etc.), a memory module 112and a communications card or device 116 (e.g., modem and/or networkadapter) for exchanging data with a network (e.g., local area network orLAN, wide area network (WAN), Internet, etc).

It should be appreciated that the different components andsub-components of the server 106 may be located or executed on differentmachines or systems. For example, one or more components (e.g.,processors) may be executed on different cloud computers connected viathe network 130 (e.g., the Internet) at the same time to support a“cloud computing” environment or as a “software as a service” (SaaS). Atleast some of the operations may be performed by a group of computers(as examples of machines including processors), and made accessible viathe network 130 and one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g.,Application Program Interfaces (APIs)).

Memory module 112 may be any form of non-transitory computer-readablemedia, including, but not limited to, dynamic random access memory(DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), Erasable ProgrammableRead-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-OnlyMemory (EEPROM), flash memory devices, magnetic disks, internal harddisks, removable disks or cards, magneto-optical disks, Compact DiscRead-Only Memory (CD-ROM), any other volatile or non-volatile memory, ora combination thereof. Memory module 112 serves to storemachine-executable instructions, data, and various software componentsfor implementing the techniques described herein, all of which may beprocessed by processor 110. As such, server 106 is a general-purposecomputer system that becomes a specific-purpose computer system whenexecuting the machine-executable instructions. Alternatively, thevarious techniques described herein may be implemented as part of asoftware product. Each computer program may be implemented in ahigh-level procedural or object-oriented programming language (e.g.,C++, Java, JavaScript, Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP™)from SAP® AG, Structured Query Language (SQL), etc.), or in assembly ormachine language if desired. The language may be a compiled orinterpreted language. The machine-executable instructions are notintended to be limited to any particular programming language andimplementation thereof. It will be appreciated that a variety ofprogramming languages and coding thereof may be used to implement theteachings of the disclosure contained herein.

In some implementations, memory module 112 includes social mediaengagement engine 124 and database 126. Social media engagement engine124 serves to facilitate engagements conducted via social mediasystem(s) 142 between agent device(s) 156 and customer device(s) 166.Database 126 may include, for example, rules that are predefined togenerate, retrieve and/or distribute information and tasks associatedwith the engagements.

Application system 140 is a system or platform that collects, storesand/or processes information relevant to customers or prospects of anorganization. Application system 140 may be, for instance, an internalor backend information technology (IT) system (e.g., customerrelationship management or CRM system, enterprise resource planning orERP system, e-commerce system, virtual community, third-party system),an electronic commerce platform (e.g., SAP Hybris) or a forum (orvirtual community) (e.g., SAP Jam). Application system 140 may also beany other type of third-party data source.

Social media system 142 is a social media platform or social networkingplatform that can be used by social media users who operate agent device156, customer device 166 or other client devices that are connected overnetwork 130 to exchange social media messages or postings (e.g., text,pictures, videos, multimedia data) in virtual communities and networks.Social media system 142 may be implemented in different forms, includingbut not limited to, blogs, business networks, social networks, forums,microblogs, review website, social gaming site, and virtual worlds. Forexample, social media system 142 may be embodied as FACEBOOK®, a socialnetworking service and website launched in February 2004, operated andprivately owned by Facebook Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif., TWITTER®, anonline social networking service and microblogging service that enablesits users to send and read text-based posts known as “tweets,” operatedby Twitter Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., and/or other types of socialmedia technologies (e.g., WeChat, WhatsApp, Weibo, Instagram, Viber,Skype, Snapchat, etc.). A social media message may be communicated bythe customer via one of multiple portals on social media system 142(e.g., company wall, etc.) to a particular organization (e.g., company).Social media system 142, in turn, may communicate the social mediamessage over the network 130 to server 106, agent devices 156 and/orcustomer devices 166.

Agent device 156 and customer device 166 can be any type of computingdevice (e.g., mobile device, smartphone, laptop) capable of respondingto and executing instructions in a defined manner. An agent device 156may be used by an agent or employee of an organization (e.g.,salesperson, marketing executive, manager), while a customer device 166may be used by a customer or prospect of the organization. The agentdevice 156 and customer device 166 may each include an application(e.g., mobile application or App) configured to present a user interface(e.g., graphical user interface) to access information and services.Such information and services may be provided by server 106, applicationsystem 140 and/or social media system 142. In some implementations, thecustomer device 166 may access information and services provided only bysocial media system 142.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary architecture of the social media engagementengine 124. In some implementations, social media engagement engine 124includes, but is not limited to, an application system interface 202, anengagement workbench 204, an administration stack 206, a rule engine208, a data processor 210 with a text analyzer 212 and a social mediainterface 214.

The administration stack 206 serves to manage the running of the socialmedia engagement engine 124. The administration stack 206 may storeconfiguration data that defines the data models, engagement rules,connector configuration, data mappings, etc. that are used by the socialengagement engine 124. The configuration data may be provided as systemdefault values or by a user via a user interface presented by, forexample, the engagement workbench 204.

The engagement workbench 204 provides a user interface for users (e.g.,agents) to view, process and take action in response to social mediamessages and related information. For example, the user may generate aservice ticket via the engagement workbench 204 in response to thesocial media message describing an issue experienced with a product orservice. As another example, the user may trigger engagement with thecustomer via another communication channel (e.g., email, video chat,telephone or facsimile) in response to the social media message. Otheractions are also possible. In some implementations, the user may viewthe complete interaction history with the particular customer or otherinformation that facilitates a personalized context-based engagement.Users may also provide configuration data to manage the socialengagement engine 124 via the engagement workbench 204. The userinterface may be accessible via system 106 and/or agent device 156.

Social media interface 214 serves as a standardized interface tocommunicate data to and from different social media systems 142 (e.g.,WeChat, WhatsApp, Twitter, Weibo, etc.) using social media dataconnectors 222. Social media data connectors 222 may be plugged intosocial media interface 214 to programmatically access social mediasystems 142. Each social media data connector 222 encapsulates all theinformation necessary to connect to and query a specific social mediasystem 142. Such information may include, for example, the name of thesocial media database server, type of data provider to use and thecredentials required for database access. Other types of information mayalso be required, depending on the particular social media system 142.

Application system interface 202 serves as a standardized interface tocommunicate data to and from different application systems 140 (e.g.,CRM, ERP, forum, commerce, etc.) using application data connectors 220.Application data connectors 220 may be plugged into application systeminterface 202 to programmatically access the application systems 140.Each application data connector encapsulates all the informationnecessary to connect to and query a specific application system 140.Such information may include, for example, the name of the applicationserver, type of data provider to use and the credentials required fordatabase access.

In some implementations, the user may specify the data connectors (220,222) to plug into the interface (202, 214) via the engagement workbench204. For example, the engagement workbench 204 may present an inputelement (e.g., text box, pull-down menu) in which the user may enter thename and/or location (e.g., Uniform Resource Locator, endpoint address)of the data connector (220, 222). Other methods of specifying the dataconnector are also useful. The data connectors (220, 222) mayadvantageously be defined by third-party developers to support newapplication systems 140 or new social media systems 142.

All the data retrieved by the data connectors (220, 222) as well asprocessed and other data may be stored in database 126. Data processor210 serves to clean, enrich, analyze and/or categorize the data. Dataprocessor 210 may include a text analyzer 212 that derives informationfrom the text in the social media messages. Rule engine 208 stores oneor more predefined engagement rules that define the manner in whichengagements are to be conducted. For example, the engagement rules maydefine actions to be performed either by the agent and/or the socialmedia engagement engine 124 in response to the social media messages.Such rules may be predefined by, for example, the user via theengagement workbench 204.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary method 300 of social media engagement. Themethod 300 may be performed automatically or semi-automatically by thesystem 100, as previously described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Itshould be noted that in the following discussion, reference will bemade, using like numerals, to the features described in FIGS. 1 and 2.

At 302, social media engagement engine 124 receives one or more socialmedia messages from a person via social media data connector 222. Asdiscussed previously, the social media data connector 222 may be pluggedinto the social media interface 214 to connect to a social media system142. The social media message may be stored in, for example, database126. Multiple social media messages directed to a particularorganization may be harvested from different social media systems 142.Each social media message may be sent from a person, such as a customer,client or prospect, to an organization. The social media message mayinclude, for example, textual, audio, image, video or other multimediadata.

At 304, data processor 210 in the social media engagement engine 124analyzes the social media message to generate processed data. In someimplementations, data processor 210 analyzes the social media message byinvoking text analyzer 212 to extract relevant data, including but notlimited to, the person's name and information, nature of message (e.g.,whether it is a request, complaint, general question, etc.), productand/or service mentioned in the message, and so forth. Data processor210 may further filter out dirty data and enrich the data wherenecessary by deriving further information from the extracted data, suchas sentiment (e.g., satisfied, happy, rating), importance level of theperson, etc.

At 306, data processor 210 forwards the processed data to the ruleengine 208 to identify a predefined rule of engagement. The predefinedrule defines the approach to conduct the engagement based on theprocessed data. The predefined rule may include a set of instructionsgoverning engagement given certain conditions. The predefined rule maybe identified based on the processed data, such as the nature of themessage (e.g., whether message is a request, complaint or generalquestions), sentiment or importance level of the person.

At 308, rule engine 208 facilitates engagement with the customer orprospect according to the predefined rule. In some implementations, ruleengine 208 extracts relevant information via the application dataconnector 220 according to the predefined rule. As discussed previously,the application data connector 220 may be plugged into the applicationsystem interface 202 to retrieve information from the application system140. Relevant information may be identified based on the predefinedrule. For example, the predefined rule may indicate that knowledgearticles relevant to the issue described in the social media message beretrieved from a forum or other knowledge base. Rule engine 208 thenroutes the social media message and relevant information according tothe predefined rule.

In some implementations, rule engine 208 determines, based on thepredefined rule, whether the engagement is to be manually conducted byan agent or automatically conducted using a connected applicationsystem. In some cases, rule engine 208 determines, based on thepredefined rule, that the engagement is to be manually conducted by anagent. For example, the predefined rule may indicate that the engagementshould be manually conducted by an agent if the processed data indicatethat the person who sent the social media message is of high importance(e.g., frequent buyer with many loyalty points). The predefined rule mayfurther identify which agent or group of agents (e.g., marketing agent,service agent, salesperson, customer relations agent, etc.) to takeaction in response to the social media message, what action the agentshould take (e.g., text reply, service request, product registration,etc.), what information to extract from the application system 140(e.g., customer information, service account, product information,information of interest to customers or followers), and so forth. Insuch case, rule engine 208 may route the social media message and anyrelevant information to the engagement workbench 204 to be displayed ata user interface of a particular agent device 156. The agent may then beinvoked to use the displayed information to generate a response to thesocial media message. The response may be, for example, a social mediamessage including text entered by the agent. Such response may betransmitted to the social media data connector 222 via social mediainterface 214. Alternatively, the response may also be transmitted viaother communication channels, such as email, short message service(SMS), facsimile, telephone call, video conferencing, printed letter,and so forth.

Alternatively, rule engine 208 may determine that the engagement is tobe automatically conducted. For example, the predefined rule mayindicate that the engagement should be automatically conducted if theprocessed data indicate that the issue described in the message caneasily be handled by the customer. In such case, the rule engine 208automatically generates a response to the social media message. Theresponse may be, for example, a social media message including textautomatically generated based on the relevant information extracted fromthe application system 140 (e.g., links to knowledge articles or forumentries, product registration information, service ticket) to facilitateself-service. Such response may be transmitted to the social media dataconnector 222 via social media interface 214. The response may also betransmitted via other communication channels, such as email, shortmessage service (SMS), facsimile, telephone call, video conferencing,printed letter, and so forth.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary screenshot of a user interface 402 generatedby the engagement workbench 204. The user interface 402 includes an area404 that displays the social media message as well as an input area 406where the agent can type a reply to the social media message. The agentmay make use of different types of relevant information extracted by thesocial engagement engine 124 and displayed by the user interface 402 togenerate a personalized reply to the social media message writer. Suchinformation includes, for example, information 407 about the socialmedia message writer, recent transactions 408 associated with the writer(e.g., recent service tickets, sales orders, ERP sales orders),documents 410 retrieved from the application server 140 that arerelevant to the social media message, interaction history 412 betweenthe social media message writer and the agent or social engagementengine 124 (i.e., in self-service scenarios), and so forth.

In a first exemplary use case, MaTV is a TV manufacturer and its serviceteam is using social media engagement engine 106 to serve theircustomers on social media. In order to better engage with its customers,MaTV sets up a WeChat service account. Many of its existing customersare following this service account and engaging with the manufacturervia WeChat on their mobile phones.

One of its customers, Tom, is having a problem with his television. Tomwants to ask for help using WeChat on his phone. Tom sends a WeChatmessage including detailed description of the issue he is encountering,along with a picture to illustrate the issue, to MaTV's WeChat serviceaccount. Social media engagement engine 124 automatically distributesthis WeChat message to Lucy, an agent of MaTV's service team, based onpredefined distribution rules extracted from the rule engine 208.

Lucy receives the request via the engagement workbench 204, and startschatting with Tom to request for more information. Based on theinformation Tom provided, Lucy checks knowledge articles from thecompany's forum displayed by the engagement workbench 204, and sends ahyperlink of an article to Tom that she thinks is helpful. Tom opens thearticle and follows the instructions provided. However, the issue stillpersisted and Tom updates Lucy again.

In the engagement workbench 204, Lucy creates a service request andsends it to MaTV's customer relationship management (CRM) system. In itsCRM system, the resource planner assigns a technician to attend to thisservice request. Tom checks the service request via WeChat on his phone,and knows the name and contact information (e.g., telephone number) ofthe technician and when the technician will come to fix the issue.

In a second exemplary use case, MaTV is a TV manufacturer and itsmarketing team is using social media engagement engine 124 to engagewith customers and prospects. In order to better acquire new customersand maintain the loyalty of existing customers, MaTV sets up a WeChatservice account. The followers of this account are either MaTV'scustomers or prospects who are interested in MaTV's products.

Lucy, a marketing professional from MaTV, regularly sends out some funnyor useful information (e.g., jokes, TV maintenance tips, events, etc.)via WeChat to MaTV's followers from the engagement workbench 204. Tom, acustomer of MaTV, sees the joke sent from MaTV's service account, andlikes the joke. He then shares this joke to all of his friends onWeChat. Max, a friend of Tom, sees the joke, and wants to directlyreceive such jokes in future. Therefore, Max follows MaTV's WeChatservice account.

Some months later, Max wants to buy a new television. From hisengagement with the service account, he feels MaTV is a reliableprovider. Max joins MaTV's membership using WeChat service account, andnavigates to MaTV's e-commerce system. He buys a television there, andpays via WeChat payment. From WeChat, Max checks the order status of hisnew television, and his membership information (e.g., points). After theTV is delivered, Max registers his television with its serial number viaWeChat. From the engagement workbench 204, Lucy checks a report tounderstand which information followers finds most interesting and whichinformation can help generate more followers.

Although the one or more above-described implementations have beendescribed in language specific to structural features and/ormethodological steps, it is to be understood that other implementationsmay be practiced without the specific features or steps described.Rather, the specific features and steps are disclosed as preferred formsof one or more implementations.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of social media engagement,comprising: receiving a social media message from a person via a socialmedia data connector; generating processed data by analyzing the socialmedia message, the generating comprising: extracting data from thesocial media message, determining an importance level of the person, andenriching the extracted data with the determined importance level of theperson, determining, by a rule engine based on the processed dataincluding the determined importance level of the person, whether anengagement is to be manually or automatically conducted with the person;in response to determining the engagement is to be manually conducted,invoking a response from an agent via an engagement workbench; inresponse to determining the engagement is to be automatically conducted,automatically generating the response based on information extractedfrom an application system; and transmitting the invoked or generatedresponse to the social media data connector; wherein at least onepredefined rule executed by the rules engine (i) identifies which agentor group of agents to take action in response to the social mediamessage, (ii) what action the identified agent should take, (ii) whatinformation to extract from an external application system.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein extracting the data comprises extracting aproduct or service name.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprisesplugging the social media data connector into a social media interfaceto connect to a social media channel.
 4. The method of claim 3 whereinthe social media channel comprises a blog, business network, enterprisesocial network, forum, microblog, review website, social gaming site orvirtual world.
 5. The method of claim 3 further comprises receiving, viathe engagement workbench, a user input of a location of the social mediadata connector.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprises extractingthe information from the application system via an application dataconnector.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprises plugging theapplication data connector into an application system interface toconnect to a new application system.
 8. The method of claim 6 whereinextracting the information from the application system comprisesextracting the information from a customer relationship managementsystem, an enterprise resource planning system, an e-commerce system, avirtual community or third-party system.
 9. The method of claim 6wherein extracting the information from the application system comprisesextracting the information from an electronic commerce platform or aforum.
 10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media havingstored thereon program code, the program code executable by one or morecomputers to perform operations comprising: receiving a social mediamessage from a person via a social media data connector plugged into asocial media interface; generating processed data by analyzing thesocial media message, the generating comprising: extracting data fromthe social media message, determining a sentiment of the person, andenriching the extracted data with the determined sentiment of theperson; identifying at least one predefined rule based on the processeddata including the determined sentiment of the person, the at least onepredefined rule identifying which agent to interact with the person,what action such agent should take, and what information to extract froman external application system; and facilitating engagement with theperson according to the predefined rule and the associated informationextracted from the external application system.
 11. The one or morenon-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the programcode is executable by the one or more computers to facilitate theengagement by extracting information from an application system via anapplication data connector plugged into an application system interface.12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11wherein the application system comprises a customer relationshipmanagement system, an enterprise resource planning system, an e-commercesystem, a virtual community or third-party system.
 13. The one or morenon-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the programcode is executable by the one or more computers to facilitate theengagement by invoking a response from an agent via an engagementworkbench in response to determining the engagement is to be manuallyconducted.
 14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media ofclaim 13 wherein the program code is executable by the one or morecomputers to invoke the response from the agent by displaying the socialmedia message at a user interface generated by the engagement workbench.15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14wherein the program code is executable by the one or more computers todisplay, at the user interface, information extracted from anapplication system.
 16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readablemedia of claim 10, wherein the program code is executable by the one ormore computers to facilitate the engagement by automatically generatinga response based on information extracted from an application system inresponse to determining the engagement is to be automatically conducted.17. A cloud system, comprising: one or more computers; and anon-transitory computer-readable media coupled to the one or morecomputers and storing machine-executable program code thereon which,when executed by the one or more cloud computers, cause the one or morecomputers to perform operations comprising: receiving a social mediamessage from a person via a social media data connector plugged into asocial media interface, generating processed data by analyzing thesocial media message, the analyzing comprising determining at least oneof: an importance level of the person or a sentiment of the person,identifying at least one predefined rule based on the processed dataincluding the determined importance level of the person and sentiment ofthe person, extracting, via an application connector and in response tothe identification of the at least one predefined rule, additionalinformation from an application system, the application systemcollecting, storing and processing information relevant to customers orprospects of an organization, and facilitating engagement with theperson according to the predefined rule and using the extractedadditional information, the engagement including providing the extractedadditional information in a graphical user interface displayed to anagent and invoking a response from the agent via an engagement workbenchor automatically generating the response based on information extractedfrom an application system.